may she be granted knowledge –
the knowledge of her namesake,
deep and rich roots in tradition,
its association with Imbolc,
connection with the Maiden,
its qualities of protection,
the quickening of its power,
the magick of its wands –
Thou with reverent care should’st tend her,
young holy tree there growing
neighbor, Jon Scott Drive,
Alpharetta, Georgia, bouncy hair
brown sugar eyes and a mysteriously
bouyant spirit given a troubled
husband and her little Hardee Jr.
(a handful) (Down’s Syndrome)
curious about her life preserver
waters rising ’round my own neck
later I went back to visit
and more was revealed
highest in quality of life
finest schools handsomest New
England main street best of bets –
now the town we lived
in has high self esteem
but then it seemed like
Ramapoo Road was slummin’ –
sassy streetwise neighbor girl pulled out
her eyelashes, association with her
was not comme il faut
secret of conviviality – a glass
of grappa at communal table,
Da Oscar in Milan – secret
of serenity – early morning
fishing on the lake in Maine –
secret of congeniality – catch him
offguard or away from home –
secrets of his inner thoughts
or his acumen with email –
you’ll never find them out
would write a longer song
for you, companion of my
village – between us we could
find small gold lodged in
the muddy paths we trod upon,
while passing under lurking
murky rainblows that can
accompany these storms of life –
please take extra special care and
remember to wear your slicker
finally found a term for it –
pseudologia fantastica – manifestations
too numerous to mention here but,
unacknowledged, caused glacial silences,
a perpetual rift, a hair-raising backdrop
of half-told stories texturing my
childhood with their inexplicable
brocade, fabric of lies made into
slipcovers that will never be unraveled
because I’m too afraid
companion on the night crew
Word Processing Center City of
Eugene – yes she spelled her
name like that (we would
know you know) collector of
depression glass and not depressed
or broken though she wanted
to keep her health insurance –
husband had none and being a
motorcyclist needed frequent maintenance